Son of Anubis
by ZoologyKaM
Summary: Fate weaves many paths in ancient Egypt. When a young boy appears, and death seems to follow in his wake, the people begin to fear him as a god. Eventually he is dragged before the high court of the sorcerers. There, only one person sees that this is no curse nor magic. The young sorcerer realizes a far more terrifying truth, his new charge, is a true child of the death god.
1. Chapter 1

Chapter 1

High above the city, the bright full moon lit the streets. Bright nights like this were typically the safest each month, since the guard patrols could see easily into the distance. However, this night a shadow ran down the streets. The dark feeling dragged him at a full sprint. Down one alley, a quick right turn, past some houses, on and on. He must have covered half the city but didn't even notice the ground moving under his feet.

Would he make it this time?

A howl of pain shattered the still air. The running shadow skidded to a halt, listening closely. There was no doubt, it came from the same direction as that mysterious feeling of dread. Not again… He turned one last corner and found the place he was looking for. What little food he'd eaten that day returned with the scene that lay in front of him.

In the shadow of an archway, a motionless form lay, with a long knife sticking from its back. Blood pooled in the sand, glistening in the moonlight. Regaining composure, the shadow slowly inched closer. He nearly wretched again when his sandal slid in the blood slickened sand. Carefully, being sure not to touch anything else, he lowered his hand next to the man's mouth and nose. No breath, he was already dead.

"Over here!" A yell came from the street leading to the scene. Before the shadow could run, a guard appeared with a torch. For a moment the shadow was lit by the fire's glow, but before the guard could do anything, he bolted. Running into the night as fast as his legs could carry him.

XXX

"I ask you again. Why have you seen it fit to bring this before the Pharaoh's court of sorcerers? Surely the Temple of Anubis would have sufficed."

Kaito slowly raised his hand to his mouth to not cause a disturbance with the yawn he knew was coming. Another day, another complaint of a curse. Yet true acts of the gods were so few and far between. Throughout his 10 years of training, he'd seen only a handful, and his teacher admitted to only a handful more.

"What do you think they're doing?" The whisper emanated from behind the curtain and caused Kaito to jump. His teacher gave him the smallest of glares and nodded his head. An apprentice wasn't needed there for something like this. Alone he and his teacher acted as father and son, but in public manners dictated everything they did, especially in the capital city. Home of the gods and their almighty embodiment, the great Pharaoh.

His bow low, and right foot ahead, he slowly backed out of the room. He heard the scurry of little feet just before he reached the curtain separating the peristylium from the inner halls. When he was finally hidden from sight, he rounded on the two little intruders. "What are you doing here?" He said in a harsh whisper. The curtain was thick, but not that thick.

The younger of the girls hid behind her braver cousin, who announced proudly and not very quietly, "I was bored, so we came to see you." Kaito shushed her before anxiously looking back around the curtain. His teacher's attention remained firmly on the peasant, and Kaito sighed with relief. Taking the girls by the hands he lead them down the hall to a courtyard where they would not be a bother.

"So what were they talking about?" Ran asked. As usual, she wanted to know about everything.

"The man said there is a messenger of Anubis stalking him."

Little Aoko gasped, "I know about him!" She said raising her hand as if she were in front of one of her tutors. "He's the... he's... that goat god right?"

Four years old or not, this wasn't a cute mistake to make, and Kaito jumped to correct her before she could upset the god in question. "He's not a goat. His head is of a dog, and he's the god of the underworld and afterlife." As a temple guardian it was his duty to teach the wisdom of the gods... Or would be, once he took over for his teacher.

Still listening, Ran ran over to the tree centered in the yard and started to wriggle her way up onto the lowest branch. "My dad said that Anubis helps to- umm... to help Pharaoh take the stuff in the tomb with to the afterlife." She didn't have to listen. She was two whole years older than Aoko and new all the gods by heart.

Yet again Kaito cringed. "Princess we talked about this, you're supposed to call your father Pharaoh while outside of the palace." Aoko raised her hand, "What, Aoko?"

"But my daddy is just daddy."

"Yeah. Your father is the Pharaoh's brother."

"That's umm- That's why Ran is my sister."

"Cousin."

"My cousin." Aoko twirled in her dress before noticing some ants on the tree where Ran was climbing, and ran over to point at them.

Kaito grumbled under his breath. "Since when did sorcerer training include babysitting?" Children or not, it felt wrong to correct royalty the way he did. Eh... well, they were kinda cute, status or no. "So why aren't you two with your nurses?" Ran paused in her climb. Her long braided hair swung beneath her and she stared at the branch thinking. The royal stubbornness had returned as usual. "What are you hiding?" Kaito sighed.

So furious was the shaking of the little girl's head, that the branch supporting her began to bob up and down. Several leaves fell from the already barren tree. Despite her refusal, the silence spoke volumes, and Kaito could do nothing groan.

"You snuck out didn't you?"

"Nooo..."

Kaito sighed and let out a whistle. From a corner of the courtyard hidden in the shadows a boy near his own age, appeared and hurried over. "Ya called, sir?" He bowed deeply awaiting his instructions, though he already knew. He'd been listening the whole time.

"Go alert the palace as to the princess' location. And try and do it with proper words this time."

"Ya know I d' try, sir." He bowed again and left at a jog. Kaito sighed as he watched the boy go. A little hand tugged on his tunic.

"Why does he talk funny?"

"He's from a far away land. He didn't know how to talk at all when he was first presented to the temple. My master had to teach him before they gave him to me. He just never completely got it right." Kaito smiled at the girls, Ran had come over to listen as well. "I don't mind though. He works hard, which is what matters."

"Speaking to the princess about slaves are we? Not much of a topic."

Kaito nearly jumped out of his skin. "Master Agasa! I'm sorry, I, uh... m-my tongue got away from me." The stuttering display was not one preferable to a high priest, but the old man had always been much kinder than most other adults Kaito had known. The old priest laughed and knelt beside the princess.

"Do you enjoy coming to the temple, Princess?" Ran nodded smiling, as Aoko came up behind her. The priest pat them on the heads. "I'm glad, and I'm sure it makes the gods happy to see your smile as well." His old bones creaked as he stood, thumping a hand on his lower back. "So I assume you sent the Hattori boy off to the palace?" Kaito nodded. "Good. Well, it would have been better had you simply sent them back with him. But I understand why you wouldn't want that."

That twinge of guilt was always there, slave or not, it had been Kaito's fault. Beside him, the eager little faces only added to the pressure to change the subject. "Did you sort out the situation with that citizen, sir?"

The priest sighed, "Unfortunately he insists we travel into the city to find this supposed messenger of Anubis. My guards are preparing the palenquine for us as we speak."

"Us sir?"

"Indeed," he smiled with a mischievous twinkle in his eye. "Even though you are still a student, and would normally be kept away from the ungodly influences of the city until you've come of age, the other elders and I think you may be able to help in this situation. Besides, you've only 2 more months to your sixteenth year, that's close enough if you ask me."

Kaito would have jumped for joy, were it not inapropriate of the adult his master was treating him as. He'd been an apprentice since his fifth year, and not once had he been out to the city since. "I am honored, sir." He bowed with his fist on his heart. "May I inquire more of the situation? Why do you think I can help?" Play it cool. Don't let Master Agasa know how excited you are, he reminded himself.

"Well, when we asked the citizen to describe the phantom of anubis that plagued him, the description, how to put this? He said the apparition was a boy your age, and not only that, but he said it was you."

Kaito's breath caught. Leaving the temple, even only the belief that one had done so, before their sixteenth birthday, was grounds for expulsion from the priesthood. "Sir, I promise you I have never gone into the city. That man is mistaken."

Master Agasa nodded, "Yes I believe so as well, and that is precisely why you and I will search the city for this boy and bring him back to the temple."

"Yes, sir. I will do my best to assist." More like prove his innocence. What if they never found this boy? Worse yet, what if he really was an apparition and simply vanished? No, best not to think of the worst.

Two little hands tugged on his tunic. "Can we go to?" Ran's eyes sparkled

"Of course not! It's bad enough you sneaking from the palace to the temple and they're right next door. You two will go home with your nurses as soon as Hattori returns with them." True to his word, the moment the two nurses frantically rushed into the courtyard, pushing Hattori out of the way, the princesses were sent home, and Kaito was sent to prepare himself for tomorrow's trip into the city.

xxx

The next morning Kaito followed his morning routine as usual, purification and cleansing, morning prayers, and going over Hattori's letters. "I thought ya weren' allowed out in'ta the city?" Hattori asked, again distracting from his learning. Kaito scrunched up his nose, it had taken a long time to convince the priests that it would serve him better to have a slave who could read, and slow progress on Hattori's part would only prove their point of, "slaves not being intelligent enough."

"You're going with, you know," he responded, his usual morning grumpiness surfacing.

Hattori's eyes shot up from the page to look at Kaito, but Kaito flicked him on the forehead and pushed his head back down to the scroll. "And before you get any ideas, this isn't just a shopping trip. We're going out to look for a boy who is supposedly cursed by Anubis.

"An'ubis… tha's the …. War god right?" While incorrect, Hattori was hiding a smirk behind the scroll. He regularly made false guesses about the gods just to mess with Kaito.

"Stop joking around, if the high priest were to hear you, he'd have you flogged. Perhaps I should be more strict with you, like a real master."

"Nah ya like me too much fer tha't." He ducked as Kaito swung a rolled up scroll at his head, chuckling. "So ya nervous?"

Kaito delicately returned the scroll to the table. He sat tall, folding his hands on the table in front of him. "Nervous? About what?"

"Bout seen the city ya were born in? Ya know, is probably not as special as ya think."

A rock had settled in his stomach since he'd awoke in anticipation, but he didn't let it show on his face. What was there to be nervous about. "I am a training priest of the royal temple. I've got bigger things to think of than how nice the city is."

Hattori watched him stacking scrolls, then seemingly satisfied, he shrugged. "S'all right long as ya don get yer hopes up."

The sounds of soft but hurried footsteps stifled their laughter. A young girl entered the room with a bow and announced the time to depart had arrived. Kaito nodded, as Hattori quickly rolled up the papyrus scrolls. They worked together to properly wrap Kaito's apprentice priest robes. He'd never actually worn them before since they were formal attire for city trips or being in the presence of the pharaoh, but it wasn't too difficult.

The palinquine was ready and loaded by the time they arrived. Master Agasa nodded towards it as Kaito approached to have him board first. The two of them would be carried on it down the streets, with Hattori, their guards, and a few other servants walking in procession.

The royal court was surrounded by great walls, and only a few gates. The area encompassed the Temple of the Gods, the homes of Pharaoh's court council, and of course, the Palace itself. It was the safest place in the city, with guards patrolling at all times.

Kaito shook his head remembering, _yet somehow the 6 year old princess can sneak from the palace to the temple with ease._ Some mysteries were better left alone.

The man they were meeting was a merchant from the jewelers guild. His shop wasn't too far into the markets, because it mostly catered to nobility and the wealthy. When they arrived. Kaito and his master got down from their seats and organized the guards. Servants were sent to ask questions from the locals and to uncover whatever information they might come upon.

"Well my apprentice, tell me. What can you sense from the area?"

Kaito closed his eyes and reached for the power of the gods that flowed throughout all of the great lands of Egypt. It was weaker in the city than he was used to in the royal grounds but still strong enough to follow the ebbs and flows.

"Truthfully master, I was not expecting this but I do sense Anubis' powers to be stronger here."

Master Agasa nodded. "Now the question is, what has caused this? Is it merely the result of crimes committed in the past, or an active working of the present?"

The day dragged out. Servants came and went, bringing new information, and rumors of the area. At last, Master Agasa sighed. "It will be dusk soon. I think it is time we return." By this time, Kaito had a cold sweat running down his spine. They'd not come across one shred of evidence that it was not Kaito who'd been spotted in the city. On the contrary, every individual who knew of the mysterious "messenger of anubis" swore that it was in fact the boy standing before them, wearing the priest garb.

 _I never went to the city! Stupid peasants! They'll get me thrown from the temple at this rate!_ His nerves were shook and there was nothing he could do. His master seemed to notice his anxiety and patted his shoulder. "Fretting will do nothing. We will continue our investigation tomorrow."

"Yes, Master." Kaito sighed and boarded the palanquine.

A shadow in the alley watched as the two priests and their escort departed, but by the time the old jewel merchant who had called upon the temple ended his bow and turned away, the shadow had once again slipped away, following an unexplained feeling of dread deeper into the city.

* * *

 _A/N: Hey all. I've had this story in the works for awhile, but if you keep up on my status updates on my profile you can imagine why it's taken so long to post just 2000 words. As always, reviews let me know that you like/dislike the story, and tell me which of my writings to focus on. So leave reviews if you want more!_


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2 -

The next day was one of the hottest they'd had yet that year, and Kaito groaned quietly to Hattori about not being in the shaded temple pavilion. "Yeh'd think you'd be more worried about finding yer look'like." Hattori said after the third complaint. Contrary to his master, he stood with proper posture, waiting for orders. Kaito rolled his eyes. The long day yesterday hadn't excused him from his studies and he'd been forced to stay up late, catching up, so he wasn't in the greatest of moods.

"You think that's something I'm not worried about?" he scoffed. "Getting heat stroke won't do anything for finding him. Go find a well and get me some water to drink."

Hattori bowed respectfully, but at the same time his tone let Kaito know he was being a brat. "Yesir."

Kaito held his grumpiness for a moment, but once Hattori had trotted off, he sighed and knew his attitude was unbecoming a priest apprentice. _I'll have to apologize when he gets back,_ he thought. Straightening his back and stretching a bit, Kaito took his first really good look around the plaza that morning.

Their investigation today was a few streets down from the old jeweler's shop, but still within the same general market area. It was a place far more busy and people-filled than Kaito had ever seen. Men, women and children called out their wares as people made their way down the streets. Like the flow of foot traffic, glowing threads of divine power wove a tapestry in the air.

He watched the crowd, curious about the people haggling over prices and thought about going over to look at some stalls when an old woman caught his eye. She was a little ways down the road, sitting on a stool. Her appearance was unremarkable but she was looking straight at Master Agasa, and looked almost apprehensive.

Kaito looked from his master to the direction Hattori had disappeared to. Other than servants, he'd never talked to commoners before. He'd only seen them during temple hours and all the talking was left to the priests. He, as an apprentice, was always to stand silently and watch. Nervously swallowing, he approached the woman.

"Greetings ma'am, you appear troubled. Is there something you wanted to speak with my master about?"

The old woman jumped in her seat, but quickly bowed her head. She muttered an apology, to which Kaito quickly reassured her. "I apologize for startling you, I just was wondering if you might know anything about the boy we're looking for."

The woman gazed at Kaito for a moment, "you're really not him then?" She asked. "No I suppose you wouldn't be. Aye I know of him, but I'll not tell you anything. And if you tell your master I said as much I'll deny it. That boys not the monster you lot are making him out to be. Starting a manhunt over one trader with paranoia." She wagged a boney finger in Kaito's face. "One would imagine the speakers of the gods would have things better to do then hunt down a savior."

"A savior? What do you mean by that?"

The old woman shook her head. "I'll not be saying one word more to you, now git." True to her word, and despite Kaito's best efforts, he couldn't convince the woman to say anymore. No choice then, he'd just have to report this new information to his master. Kaito sighed and started back down the street. He had only gone a few steps when a man trotted up beside him.

"Heard you were looking for the black devil. I happen to know where he is right now. I could show you for … say a gold coin? But we gotta go quick. Never stays in one place for long, that one."

"Black devil?"

"The boy who follows the dead. The one yer looking for."

"Oh… uh right, I'll get my master."

The man shook his head. "Yer ears not working? I said we gotta go now or he'll get away."

"Fine. But you'll only be rewarded once you've shown me the way."

"Sure, sure. You comin' or not?"

Kaito looked back towards where his master was busy talking to some of the patrol guards then nodded.

XXX

A spot on the back of his neck twinged, and a rock dropped in his stomach. Not again… He was used to the warning pangs, but they so rarely happened during the day. Walking quickly to the cart he dropped the grain bag roughly onto the pile. "I'll be back. Toilet" he said to the gruff man tallying up the bags, who grunted a non-committal reply. Waiting for a moment, to make sure he wouldn't be called back, he started off at a jog. Once he turned a corner, though, he took off running.

It wasn't far this time. Maybe he could make it there and back quickly and avoid getting fired… again. His legs carried him swiftly out of the craftsman area and into the market. The large crowd slowed him a bit, but by now he was used to dodging between people. The feeling was really strong here, but who was it coming from? There were just too many people to tell.

"Heard you were looking for the black devil." The voice sent a chill up his spine, and he turned to see a middle aged man talking to a robed person, right about his own height. After talking for a moment, the robed person looked from the man, to an area up the street with a palanquin, then nodded and followed the man down an alley.

"Idiot…" Who follows someone out of the market into an alley, ALONE, for a rumored _I'll show you something_? Had this person never learned to be careful with strangers?

The feeling of dread was slowly moving away from the market, meaning it was definitely coming from that a sigh of irritation, he quickly but quietly followed.

XXX

The man led Kaito down several narrow alleys ignoring him when asked where they were going and hushing him. Irritated, Kaito followed silently until they'd been walking for nearly 10 minutes.

"Enough. We've gone too far. You will escort me back and we will bring the guards." This was ridiculous. At this distance even if they found the boy they'd have trouble bringing him back. The sounds of the market we're far behind them so the man's malicious laugh was clearly heard.

"Well you came farther than we thought you would. Guess I lost that bet."

"What?"

Three men stepped out from the surrounding streets. All were well-built laborers and all appeared to be looking for fight.

"See... we don't much like the temple priests. Your master may not've told you this but around here there was a disease not long ago, and when people went to the temple for healing any who couldn't pay your tithes was turned away. Don't you think that's unfair?"

Not good. Not good. The four men closed in on Kaito cracking their knuckles and pounding their fists. There was no way he'd be able to run with them blocking the narrow roads. Even if he could, they knew the layout of the streets better and would catch up to him for sure.

"Wait, you wanted a gold coin right?" Kaito held out his hands in front of him trying to dissuade the approaching men. "I can give one to each of you if you lead me back to my party."

"Gold coins won't bring back my dead wife." The man cracked his knuckles then paused, "well, beating you won't either, but it'll sure as hell be more satisfying."

The man pulled back his fist, intending to hit Kaito as hard as he could, but at the last second a rock flew and smashed into his head. The man dropped.

"Run!"

 _You don't need to tell me twice,_ Kaito thought, and took off. He could hear two of the men yell and give chase. _What the hell!… Priests don't run… I'm so dead…_ He was practically tripping on his robes, but when a hand grabbed his robe and pulled him down an alley he really did trip.

"Get up. We gotta go." The same had grabbed him roughly and dragged him to his feet, taking him by the arm and running. Kaito panted and struggled but somehow kept himself going as they ran down one alley, around some corners, and down the next. When the voices of the men were fading behind them, the hand dragging him shoved him into a doorway and shut it behind them. "Should be safe here. Take off the robe before you overheat. I'll get you some water. Wait here."

Lungs on fire, Kaito let himself sink to the floor and worked off the clasps of his robe. "I thought I was a goner for sure…" Though thinking back on it, he should have called on one of the gods. He wasn't able to do much yet, but he could have made some fire or something to scare those men off… but he panicked. He clicked his tongue, irritated as his own mental weakness. Have to learn to keep a better poker face in the future.

The sound of sandals on the dirt floor returned. Kaito quickly sat up and gave a small bow to his savior. "Thank you, I probably couldn't have gotten out of that situation if not for y-" Kaito and the other boy froze. Other than their hair styles, it was like looking in a mirror. The young man before him had slightly shorter hair, with bangs that looked to need a trim, while Kaito's hair was ruffled from the hood of his robes. The other boy was perhaps a shade darker in skin as well, but that would come from working in the sun all day.

He looked confused, and scared but looked down at the stone cup up water and handed it over. "Here. Drink." Kaito did, greedily. "Who the heck are you?"

Kaito looked up, wondering the same thing. "I'm a priest of the royal temple of the gods. Well… apprentice priest, anyway. Better question is who are you?" He hadn't noticed it while running, but now that he was standing face to face with his apparent doppelganger, Kaito could sense all of the divine power emanating from this boy. It was a dark power, both like a terrifying void, and like the comforting calm of a starry night.

"Name's Shinichi," he said, bowing as was proper towards a priest, but his eyes held suspicion."Sorry," he said straightening up, "but what's a priest doing out in the market? Don't you have servants for that?"

This had to be him. It just had to be the boy they were looking for, but what to say? Better to not scare him off, I suppose. "We were shopping for incense and herbs for healing. Our stores are running low, and I was here to learn about the-" Shinchi held up a hand, cutting Kaito off.

"Why are you lying?"

"What? I'm not lying?"

"Yes you are. What are you hiding?"

"I'm not hiding anything."

Shinichi sighed and rolled his eyes. He stepped back, leaning into the wall, and crossed his arms. The look was very reminiscent of a parent waiting for their children to admit who broke the pot, a look which Kaito had seen from the head priest many times in his youth.

"Look, can you just take me back to the market. Please?"

"Why?"

"What do you mean why? I don't know where we are. You dragged me down alleys and I need to get back."

Shinichi shook his head, "Tell me why you're lying and I'll take you back."

"What?!"

"Or I can point you in the right direction and leave you be. And don't think you can come back and find me here, this isn't my house."

"Wait we're trespassing?"

"Don't be stupid, this place is abandoned. Now what's your answer?"

The pair stared at each other until Kaito finally gave up. _I don't know how he can know so surely that I'm lying, but let's try something else, or I'll get nowhere._ "We're here because some old man said a devil was stalking him."

Shinichi leaned in closer to Kaito's face, then seemingly satisfied, stepped back. "Well at least you're not totally lying. I still think there's something you're not telling me, but that's fine for now." He leaned in again, but this time for a different reason, putting both his fists on each of kaito's temples and twisting his knuckles in. Kaito yelped and fell back.

"OW Ow OWW-!"

"What kind of idiot follows a stranger into an alley! Seriously! If I hadn't showed up you'd be dead right now, you know that? Nothing that guy could've offered you is worth your life. Next time you should be a good boy and stay by your guardian. Kids shouldn't be running off into dangerous situations!"

Kaito rubbed his temples when the scolding yell finally stopped. How dare this commoner! Kaito never much cared about status, but this? This was too much! His anger and frustration flared up and accidently grabbed at a thread of divine power. A blinding light filled the room, but he didn't notice the change at all.

"Who do you think you are!? You yell at me and call me a child, but I have powers you can't even imagine. You call me an idiot, but you're the fool! I wouldn't even be here and be in this mess if it weren't for you running around with my face and doing who knows what!" What the heck was he saying. He just kinda belted it all out. When he'd finally shouted all his anxieties from the last three days he realized that Shinchi was on the ground, curled up in pain, with his hands over his eyes.

The red flush of rage drained from Kaito's face as he realized what he'd done. He'd used the god's divine punishment, on not just an innocent person, but on one who had saved his life. "Oh gods! I am so sorry! Give me your arm, quickly, we have to get back to my master. He can heal you."

Kaito tried to take hold of Shinichi's arm but was shoved away. "GET OFF ME!" Shinichi yelled crawling back. "You did this on purpose! Just to take me back to your temple! Why? What'd I ever do to you!" His back hit the wall. Face towards the floor, he slowly attempted to open his eyes. It looked so painful, and when they were finally open he yelled again. "I can't see! I can't see anything!"

"Please, I'm sorry! My master can heal you. I swear it was an accident. Please believe me!"

"Get back!"

Kaito took a deep breath. With each passing second he feared more than this would become irreversible. They didn't have time for this. He took two steps forward, "I said get back!" and punched Shinichi square in the jaw.

Standing over him, Kaito grabbed the boy's tunic. "I told you it was an accident! I'm still learning to control magic so I'm sorry! Now if you don't want to become a blind beggar you have to direct me back to the market and be healed by my master. Any questions?" He didn't really give Shinichi the chance to respond before grabbing his arm and hoisting him to his feet. "No? Good. Let's go. Which way?"

It was a long and arduous task, getting back to the market, they'd made a few wrong turns, but when they were finally just one street away, a guard yelled that they'd found the missing priest. Questions were largely saved till later and both Kaito and Shinichi were hustled onto horses and taken directly back to the temple.

 _ **A/N:**_ _Hi again! Quick chapters in the starts of my stories as always. Unfortunately it gets slower when I have no one to brainstorm or bounce ideas off of. If you'd like to chat/help me brainstorm/ or just meet new people I've got a discord server. It'll be the usual discord. gg followed by (slash) TMy6DKJ  
_ Everyone's welcome!


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